by K T Kaye
Before Rowan could continue David and Tobias Night entered the room. Tobias was a tall skinny man with a mock of brown hair and sharp facial features. Unlike his brothers, the oldest Night sibling had an unfriendly pair of green eyes and his face continuously wore an unamused scowl.
“Pops what happened? What did the Emperor say?” Jackson asked.
“He,” David paused for a moment.
While the pause lasted no more than a few seconds, it was long enough for Alexander to deduce that whatever the werewolf leader was going to say next would be a lie.
“He said that there’s nothing that can be done,” David explained, “Although he doesn’t believe Angel is guilty, after everything that has happened to Atlantis he doesn’t want to go against the Queen. She has a sharp temper and powerful followers. She could quite easily break up the empire if she wished.”
“But that’s just…”
“This is a political issue Jackson,” Tobias snapped, “There’s nothing that can be done.”
“I’ll talk with my mother,” Rowan sighed, “I might be able to get her to stop. I’m really sorry about this.”
“It’s not your fault,” David reassured, “How’s Ethan?”
“I was just explaining that Ethan’s condition is complicated. To put it bluntly Ethan should be…should be…”
“Dead?”
“Yes. However Angel has created something rather incredible. Ethan is currently in a magically induced coma and while his mind sleeps the rest of his body is healing. Angel attempted to do the same to Roger but he…he passed away before it could be completed.”
“Will he wake up?”
“Hopefully. To be honest we’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s very different to other magically induced comas. Ethan won’t wake up until he’s fully healed that’s for sure.”
“However if he doesn’t heal?”
“Then he probably won’t wake up. I think. Like I said none of us healers have seen anything like this before. We need to discuss it with Angel.”
“Did you ask the Emperor? Can we see her?” Jackson asked. David shook his head. Jackson got to his feet and kicked a chair in frustration. At that moment Skyjack entered the room.
“I’ve just been to see Angel,” Skyjack said quietly.
“How is she?”
“Her condition is still very unstable. She’s been stabbed multiple times. Her legs have been crushed. A roof collapsed on top of her I’m told. She also teleported repeatedly underwater which is an extremely dangerous thing to do. She’s not self-healing but she is responding well to treatment.”
As Jackson started to ask more questions about Angel’s condition, Alexander silently slipped from the room. Before he got far, he heard someone call his name.
The vampire turned to find David Night stood behind him.
“Did you think I hadn’t seen you?” David asked.
“Why did you lie?” Alexander countered, “What did the Emperor actually say to you? I have to say you’re very calm to say your daughter has been arrested for a crime that, if she’s found guilty, could lead to her execution.”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m not sure, what am I implying?”
David was about to say more but he was interrupted by Anita who shouted Alexander’s name.
“Let’s finish this conversation another time,” David whispered to Alexander before returning to the room Ethan was in.
“What did you say to the Emperor?” Alexander asked Anita, “He wasn’t going to arrest Angel but then you said something and changed his mind. What did you say?”
Anita smiled, “Would you like to see her? Angel. Do you want to see her?”
“No one is allowed to…you won’t even let her family…”
“I’ll let you. I’ll let you see her.”
“Why? Why would you?”
“Worry about that after you’ve seen her. I won’t give you this opportunity again.”
* * * * *
When Angel opened her eyes, three days later, Alexander was sat next to her bed. The vampire’s eyes were closed but he wasn’t sleeping.
He was contemplating every possible outcome and questioning everything that had happened. Lightning Squad had been set up. That he was certain of. The question was when had the set up started. From Paris’ interrogation or from Mr Jet entering the base? Or had this all started when Lightning Squad had received the order to find the Master of Darkness? The vampire’s forehead wrinkled as he tried to find the answers.
Angel stared at Alexander silently. His red eyes had faded and now the vampire simply looked tired. Alexander normally looked calm, collected, and youthful (despite his old age) however in this moment he just looked tired. For a while Angel just stared, enjoying the luxury of being alive and being able to see Alexander’s face. There had been a moment back at Atlantis when Angel had thought she’d never see the vampire again. This thought had scared her more then she’d ever admit.
Memories of Atlantis flooded back to her, as did the images of the zombies, the demons and Roger…Angel sighed deeply. The sound awoke the vampire from his thoughts. He opened his eyes to find Angel staring up at him.
“Angel?” Alexander asked, a slight smile of relief tickling his lips, “How are you feeling?”
“What is this?” Angel gestured to the chains wrapped around her body, “Did they arrest me?”
Alexander nodded, “Your father has spoken to the Emperor but at the moment there’s nothing that can be done, apparently.”
“Pops? Where is he?”
“With Ethan. Ethan’s okay. He’s still in the coma. You’ve managed to confuse all the healers with that. They can’t, your family, they’re not allowed to see you.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I’m not really sure what’s going on. The situation is…” the vampire sighed.
“That bad? Is everyone else okay? Willow, how’s she doing? And Jason? Is he okay? Danny? Have you contacted Roxy’s family? And what about…?”
“They’re fine. Jason, Willow, the rest of the squad, they’re all fine. Roxy’s family are here, Clover is taking good care of them. Ah, Fern’s in lock up though. When she found out that you’d been arrested, she decided to let the Queen know how she felt about the situation.”
“Why can’t that witch ever keep her mouth shut? Ah!” Angel gasped as a wave of pain rippled from her legs upwards.
“Does it hurt? I’ll go get a healer,” Angel grabbed Alexander’s arm before he could move.
“Don’t leave.”
“I’m just going to get…”
“Don’t leave. I’m okay.”
“Angel you’re not okay! You were stabbed, your legs were crushed, Jet broke your arm, you teleported…”
“You don’t need to list my injuries. I’m well aware of them.”
“Are you? Do you have any idea how serious your condition has been? When they first brought you here, all the healers thought you wouldn’t last the night. You have no idea how worried I thought I was going to…” Alexander sighed, took Angel’s hand from his arm and held it.
“Sorry.”
“Why are you apologising? You didn’t ask to be injured.”
“I know but still, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be just…You need to start taking better care of yourself. Seriously do you have any idea how many times you’ve terrified me this past month?”
“It’s only been a month, everything that’s happened. Jason arriving, Rio, the Pied Piper, lock up, the memories, the attack at the base, Paris, the execution, the Polar Base, and Atlantis, it all happened in a month! It’s no wonder Jason was panicking. There’s been so much going on that I didn’t actually get a chance to train him.”
As Angel spoke tears ran down her face.
It had been a long and painful month. So much had happened in such a short space of time. Everything had happened so quickly. Too quickly, never allowing Angel, or the rest
of the squad, time to breathe. Alexander wiped the tears from Angel’s cheeks.
“To say he’s an idiot, Jason’s adapted to this chaos rather well,” Alexander joked.
“We shouldn’t call him an idiot. I think I technically owe him my life.”
For a while neither of them spoke.
Angel closed her eyes. She exhaled as she contemplated the long month that had claimed four of her squad members lives. Three, she corrected herself. Paris was a terrorist therefore unworthy of her sorrow.
Memories of Elsa, Roxy and Roger surfaced. Looking back Angel found that she didn’t have many memories with Elsa. The vampire had always been kind, nice and had never caused any problems. She always did her job and did it well. But this meant that she had often gone unnoticed. In most of Angel’s memories Elsa was faded into the background, like an extra in a movie.
Roxy on the other hand had caused Angel many problems over the years. Her love of gossip, her big personality and her sharp criticisms had irritated Angel immensely, but they had also been her driving force. The need to prove Roxy wrong and gain her respect had been something Angel had always strived for. As despite her flaws, Roxy’s heart had always been in the right place and her criticisms not always unfounded.
The memories of Roger flooded Angel’s mind. There were too many of them. Roger had named her. He had been the one who had taught her to read and to write. He had been the first to make her laugh and the first to love her. Angel opened her eyes, blinking away the memories of Roger. Alexander was watching her, his hand still resting against her cheek. He stroked her skin softly and waited until Angel worked up the courage to ask:
“Alex, where’s Roger?”
The vampire didn’t answer. He simply got to his feet and walked over to the guard stationed at the door. After a few minutes of conversation, Alexander returned.
“I’ll take you to him,” he said.
The guard brought over a wheelchair and Alexander carefully lifted Angel into it. The guards followed close behind as Alexander pushed Angel down a dark corridor and into the morgue. The guards waited outside as Alexander pushed Angel into a small room.
Inside the room were three metal tables. On one lay a pile of ash, the remains of Elsa, whilst the bodies on the other two were covered by white sheets. With shaking hands, Angel pulled back one of the sheets, under which lay Roxy. A gunshot wound penetrating her skull. Angel’s tears fell to the floor as she gently placed her hand on Roxy’s cheek. After a few moments, Angel turned to the final table and pulled back the sheet revealing Roger’s body.
Angel rested her head on his chest and sobbed.
“I’m sorry,” Angel cried, “All of you. I failed you all. I’m so sorry.”
* * * * *
The final gong sounded as the last coffin was placed into the ground. The sun was slowly setting around the graveyard. The graveyard was a pretty place. White and red roses grew between the graves and a small building stood in the centre.
The Colonel, stood in the middle of the newly made graves, cleared his throat.
“Today we stand here to remember those who fell in the battle at the Polar Base and at Atlantis,” the Colonels voice was emotionless, “They fought bravely, and they will be remembered. So as I read the list of the dead, I ask you all to think of them as they once were. From our team at the Polar Base: Angus O’Neil, Fredrick Reed and Joel Reed. And from our own Lightning Squad: Elsa Sunday, Roxy Ash and Roger Night. We must also remember the hundreds of Atlantis citizens who lost their lives in this battle.”
There was a howl from the Night wolf pack, who had arrived earlier that morning, when the Colonel mentioned Roger.
Then there was silence.
Jason looked down at his shoes. He felt awful. He had never been to a funeral before. The other members of Lightning Squad were feeling just as miserable. Clover and Willow looked grim and depressed. Fern was twisting her wand absentmindedly between her fingers; sparks were flying off and gently floating to the ground. Araminta was stood very still with her eyes closed. Sue was standing away from the others, unable to look at the graves. Whereas Sophie stared at the graves, incapable of pulling her eyes away from them. Danny was lent against a tree carefully studying the others around him whilst Alexander was watching the graves with a bowed head. Angel was sat, chained to her wheelchair, next to David, Tobias, and Jackson, with two Atlantis guards watching closely. Rowan was stood with them; she was tired and pale. This was the second funeral she had been to in the last two days. The day before at the Emperor’s palace there had been a funeral for her father, it had been a small and official affair.
The gong sounded once more, and the ground covered the coffins. Everyone saluted in unison, the wolves howled, and the funeral was over.
David turned to Angel, “Me and the pack are going to take Roger’s coffin home. We’ll bury him next to the others.”
Angel nodded, “Take care of him. Once the investigation is over, I’ll come see him.”
David hugged his daughter and then he, Jackson, Rowan, and the rest of the pack left. Angel watched as they carried Roger’s coffin away. She kept staring long after the wolf pack had disappeared from view.
She was too distracted with thoughts of Roger that she didn’t notice Jason walk up next to her.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked.
“Jason, yes I’m fine. How are you? I heard you fainted.”
“Ah yeah. I got bit by a demon but I’m alright now.”
“Good…have you had your mental breakdown yet?”
“Yes, well it’s kind of still on going. It started the moment I woke up in the hospital wing. Well actually that’s not true. First, I started thinking about mint ice cream…that happens every time I wake up in the hospital wing…it’s a bit weird. Anyway when I stopped thinking about mint ice cream, I then began my mental breakdown.”
Angel laughed, “You’re a bit odd, you know that, right? But a good kind of odd. You’re nice and human-like. I’m also…err…proud of you.”
“Sorry could you say that a bit louder, I didn’t quite hear you.”
“I’m not saying it again. But the Polar Base and Atlantis, you handled both incredibly well.”
“But I panicked the entire time!”
Angel laughed softly, “Yes you did. But do you know what your panic-attacks have taught me?”
Jason shook his head.
“They taught me that it’s okay to panic. It’s okay to be scared and to have no clue what you’re doing. As long as you keep going. As long as you keep fighting. You just fought a massive battle and yes, you did freak out the whole time, but you did it. You survived. That’s pretty incredible. You also saved my life! You’re clumsy, naive and an idiot, yet you saved my life. You’ve impressed me Dragonheart.”
“Thanks.”
“Your panic-attacks also made me realise that I must be a saint! I mean there were so many times, when you were panicking, that I wanted to hit you, but I didn’t. If that’s not saint-like behaviour, I don’t know what is!”
“Thanks!”
Angel smiled, “Seriously though, I think that one day you’re going to be a brilliant Master of Darkness.”
“Really!?”
“Yeah. You’ll still be an idiot though!”
“Hey that’s not…”
“Angel Night!”
The crowd split in two as the intruder’s voice echoed around the graveyard. Anita stood with a group of the Emperor’s guards. They pushed their way through the grieving crowd towards the Colonel.
Anita shouted, “Angel Night show yourself.”
“I’m right here,” Angel called, the two guards grabbed her, “What the hell? Get your hands off me!”
“Angel Night you’re under arrest for the murder of the King of Atlantis.”
“You have got to be kidding me!?”
“The arrest warrant has been signed by the Emperor himself, see,” Anita handed it to Alexander, who had stood protectively in front of An
gel.
“Don’t do this,” Alexander warned.
“Bring it out,” Anita ordered.
Two guards brought forward an orange glowing straitjacket. Angel glanced at Alexander. His face confirmed her fear. This straitjacket was one of the anti-shapeshifter weapons that should have been destroyed long ago.
“Are you crazy?” Alexander exclaimed, standing firmly between the guards and Angel, “That thing kills shapeshifters!”
“Move Alexander or I shall arrest you as well.”
“Then you better do that,” Alexander hissed. Danny, who had been watching the situation closely, swiftly punched one of the guards and the rest of Lightning Squad quickly joined in the fight.
“You can stab me again, if that’ll help you get out of here,” Jason offered.
Angel shook her head and shouted at Anita, “If you want to arrest me, you’re going to have to catch me first!”
And with that Angel Night vanished.
EPILOGUE
The Kingdom of the Elves was one of the most beautiful, elegant, and peaceful places in all the known worlds. Its steep hillside tumbled down to soft sandy beaches that rolled into the deep blue sea. On the top of one of the towering cliffs the small town of Aelgifu stood. The town had houses made of incredible white stone; its colour glowed, never fading, enchanting anyone whose eyes landed upon it.
Normally the sound of children playing and laughing in the sunlight would be heard echoing from the busy marketplace.
However today there was silence.
From the roof tops, thick black smoke rose into the sky, casting a dooming shadow upon the kingdom of peace.
Ailward, head of the elf council’s private guard, scanned his surroundings searching for some sign of life. Ailward was tall, with shoulder length brown hair and a sharp face, his green eyes saw more than most.
“What are your orders, sir?” asked Edward, Ailward’s second in command, a short skinny elf whose long ginger hair was swaying in the light breeze.
“We move in.” Edward nodded and the pair kicked their horses into a swift trot. As the horses reached the town gates, they were met with a horrid smell. The sight in front of their eyes was one that would haunt their dreams for the rest of their days.